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DS Prowling Beta Patch Notes

September 2018PROWLING v1.1BETA TESTING PATCH NOTES (Darkside)These Beta patch notes are taken from our Closed Beta Testing sessions, and are subject to change before the live version is released. Any and all changes will be updated and reflected here. Updated tutorial descriptions of this feature will become available in the LEARN category when or after the feature is released, and the Roadmap and Live Updates sections will also reflect the feature news.

DARKSIDE PROWLING

Overview

Explore the supernatural world of the Darkside in Prowling’s text-based adventures! This portion of Prowling highlights world-building within the stories. You’ll be introduced to the realm’s strong lore and societal structure, alongside all new characters and those you’ve come to know and love.Experience only positive single scenarios encounters and an increased scope of winding multiple choice experiences. Your latest adventures will lead you to loot farming opportunities for fresh loads of new rewards and items, chances to fight all-new difficulty-scaled bosses, earn new legendary rewards, and gather new achievements from your wins.

Prowling Access

- When Full Essence recipe is fused, Darkside locations will be found as a new row beneath the original Topside locations. The functionality for entering any location remains the same.

- When Full Essence recipe is fused, Topside and Darkside will be displayed simultaneously. When your allotted Darkside time runs out, the Darkside will vanish and only Topside will be available. Fuse Full Essence recipe again to re-open the Darkside.

Release Changes

- Darkside locations will now be released incrementally as each location is complete. The first incremental release will be Aerothine. Other locations will be released in order after Aerothine, starting with The Soils, then Crim, Blackwell, and finally the Wirelands.

Free Prowl Changes & Additions[released 1/20/18]

- Free Prowls have been significantly increased. Now prowl every (6) hours up to (8) times for free, equaling 32 prowls every 24hrs. Up from 16 every 24hrs.

| Prowling Components |

Component Changes & Additions

- Darkside Single Scenarios now contain only positive single scenarios.

- Exploration Multiple type has been added. Automatically consumes (1) free prowl point (or Instinct Point if out of free prowls) and describes a broad adventure that supports traveling from one location to another and back again (in most instances) within the multiple. Loot discoveries/choice rewards result in a positive or negative scenario ending. Positive outcomes reward, negative outcomes penalize.

- Shared Multiple Scenarios have been created. A shared multiple is one that can be found in every Darkside location, such as the Athenaeum Archives.↪ Dev Note: The Archives will not be available until dev work on all locations is complete. This is in an effort to prevent gameplay fatigue with this multiple.

- Exploration Multiples are built to contain varying scenario results in sub-paths in each of their respective adventures. This means that if you receive a specific scenario result while taking a specific sub-path, you may get a different result upon revisiting that same place later. ↪ Dev Note: This functionality is present for future-proofing the adventure. We’d like you to have a fresh experience as you explore over time. Know that some alternate scenario results are given to low percent chances while others are high, and that we have taken care to be sure that your main exploration paths are not left to chance (with exception to the Wirelands).

- Once Full Essence permission is fused, the Darkside is unlocked for 12hrs. After 12hrs, the Darkside will become inaccessible again until Minute Essence 1-4 are collected and fused again. - Due to incremental release format, only the completed locations will be available upon Full Essence fusion. Incomplete locations will show as ‘locked’. When new locations are completed, these will continue to unlock simultaneously.

- Minute Essence are attained as drop from Topside and Darkside Positive scenario rewards pool. Minute Essence is also very rarely available as rewards from certain boss fights and very rarely from within certain multiple scenario positive rewards.

- Collected Minute Essence are stored in Passage (3) of the catacombs. Other access points are Catacombs Passage (4), in the given Permissions recipe.

- Throughout Darkside locations, all Topside Travel Permissions 1-4 can be collected as rewards. ↪ Dev Note: This is in effort to aid those out there who are having difficulty unlocking some Topside locations. We know your struggle is real and we hope this helps!

- The Wirelands location is different from the other locations. Due to its high difficulty, this location contains only 1 Exploration Multiple, with 4 full, linear Multiple Scenarios interwoven throughout the experience. The Wirelands also contains no Single Scenarios, and no Shared Shared Scenarios.

- (3) new sets of (4) fusion collectables added to represent each Trinity.

- (5) new fusion collectables added to represent Darkside prowling.

- (3) new competitive powers may be gained from any Titan. All Titan class bosses may reward any one of these three powers upon their defeat. These Titan themed powers may also be fused into more powerful states via the Necromancer.

Reward Changes

- Red Blood has been removed from Darkside rewards Pool, and only occurs with extreme rarity in some specific multiples. ↪ Dev Note: This is a story aid, supporting Darkside lore. Red Blood will only appear as a reward in select multiples and from select bosses.

- [released 1/20/18] Rage, Energy and Health points earned from rewards now stack over max. Applies also to rewards from runes.

Addition: Sind’Ra the Runesinger[released 1/20/18]

- New feature release to support Prowling rewards. Please read the Runes: Quality & Contents Community Support Desk article for details on rune explanations and exclusions

| Bosses & Difficulty Scaling |

Prowling Boss Fights Changes and Additions

- Added a total of 267 new custom Bosses to Darkside Prowling.↪ Dev Note: We hope this huge swath of bosses significantly reduces the repetitiveness felt by the community in Topside’s boss fights.

- For the Aerothine release, there are a total of (6) new Titan class bosses, (1) Legendary, and 37 normal bosses spanning Fledgling, Adept, Noble, and Champion classes

- Added new Hellish difficulty class: Titan. ↪ Dev Note: In answer to the Elder community that Legendary Bosses were the most fun but too difficult to find. A majority of Titans can be found easily. They are of equal difficulty to Legendaries with huge unique rewards, but do not offer Legendary powers.

- Added 31 Titan Bosses. (6) Titans can be found in Aerothine, (5) can be found in the Soils, (5) can be found in Crim, (5) can be found in Blackwell, (8) can be found in the Wirelands, and (2) from the Athenaeum Archives.

- Added 5 new Legendary Bosses. Legendaries are hidden in the Darkside, along with their respective 5 new legendary powers. Each of the (5) Darkside locations has presiding Legendary boss.

- [released 8/24/18] Legendary bosses have now been added to the singles rotation. You now have a very low chance of encountering a Darkside legendary with every prowl.

- Permissions display area on Darkside bosses will display Minute Essence rather than Topside’s Travel Notes. Don’t forget that Essence is independent from locations.

- Boss functionality changed in some instances to allow bosses to give rewards while a choice is present. Previously bosses could not give rewards while a choice was present. This new functionality may be seen very rarely in some boss encounters. ↪ Dev Note: this was a very late-stage change. Most successive boss fights will still require you to defeat all bosses to claim rewards, or choose rewards instead of continuing on with your adventure. We apologize for the inconsistency.

BASE GAME CHANGES

| Rebalancing|Clan Requirements Rebalance [released 1/20/18]

- Clan requirements have been changed to 1000 (+1), up from 500 (+1).

- Added +10 Clan [NPC] to be given at each level up. Note that the +10 Clan stops being added after level 75

- NPC Fighters [dummies] will be rebalanced/re-equipped for 1001 Clan

- Decreased FP pricing on Council Powers

- Added bulk purchase option to Council Powers (Vintage & New)

- Slave Minders will be increased to 1001

- New players will now begin with RB 20,000, up from RB 5000

| New Player Entry |[released 1/20/18]

- New players will now begin with RB 20,000, up from RB 5000

- Added +10 Clan [NPC] to be given at each level up. New Players will now achieve 1001 clan after 75 levels using only NPC Clan.

| Relics |

Sceptre of Janus Changes[released 12/5/17]

- Removed Sceptre of Janus as a Prowling-only relic. Added Sceptre of Janus to general gameplay. Can now be attained normally as all other relics, including while Prowling.

- Sceptre of Janus will continue to be disabled during Live Gaming Events.

| Council |

Council Power Purchase Amounts[released 1/20/18]

- Added functionality to purchase more than one CP at a time. Council powers are now purchasable in bulk. A dropdown menu must be used before purchase of CP.↪ Dev note: Clan Rebalance aid

Council Pricing Adjustments[released 1/20/18]

- 50% and 100% Rage Refills have changed to 8FP and 12FP, up from 6FP and 10FP.

- 50% and 100% Energy Refills have changed to 8FP and 12FP, up from 6FP and 10FP.

- 100% Health Refill has changed to 4FP, up from 2FP.

- Pricing adjustments have been made to FP prices. Slight increases made for for 75 and 100 point packages, while decreases are made on 25 and 50 point packages.

- Price adjustments on Council Powers. Council Powers will now be less expensive.↪ Dev note: Clan Rebalance aid

- (3) new Rune Packages are now available for FP purchase. The new packages can be found on the Strengthen tab below the Council powers.

- Each package has an incremental cost based on the runes available in the package.

- Ultimate Rune Package contains a chance to obtain +1 of each rune in the package from a single purchase. When purchasing an Ultimate Package, the confirm dialog will read: You have purchased a Ultimate Rune Package. When gaining an extra +1 of all items, the return confirmation dialog will read the above, with an additional line: Yes! You've received +1 of all Runes in this package!

- Slave Minders will be increased to 1001, up from 501↪ Dev note: Clan Rebalance aid

| Gifting |[released 1/20/18]

- Player Gifting selections will now include runes. Only obtained runes can be gifted. Any gifted rune will be removed from your inventory after sending. Mystery gifts do not include runes. Gifting of runes proceeds in the same fashion as all other gifting, including events tab collection and Facebook wall collection.

Art & Graphics

| Prowling |

- Prowling title images will now prominently discern special Multiples. These include Exploration Multiples, Athenaeum Archives, and any future special multiples.

- While in an exploration Multiple, Prowling title images will now prominently discern specific areas with a location pin accompanied by an area title. This is to help you track Area Hubs, making movement easier. These Area Hubs are the locational choices given to you at the first Primary Area Hub. Each Area Hub will have an option to return to the Primary Area Hub.↪ Dev Note: we know the above description is a head-scratcher, but this is at least one case in life where it's way easier done than said.

- Darkside prowling images all now contain instance titles in the lower-right corner to more easily determine how the art fits the current story instance.↪ Dev Note: we hopes this helps the accompanying images feel less confusing!

- Titan class heads will display a Magenta background, the appropriate color code for their class.

- When in a Darkside successive battle with a defeated boss, the image will now alert you that there is a choice option to continue to your next boss fight.

- When you’ve defeated the final boss in a Darkside successive boss fight, the image will now alert you that there is a choice option to continue your prowl.

- When your character’s health is reduced to 0 due to a negative Darkside prowling scenario, the image’s instance title will alert you by stating “YOU HAVE BEEN KILLED” in the lower-right corner.↪ Dev Note: we know there are many Topside and Darkside instances where the story says you die but your character does not actually lose health. This is an intended mechanic, but we hope these instance titles aids in understanding.

| Sanctums |

- Added (1) new Legendary sanctum that can be obtained via fusion. Comes with rare power. Rare power is stackable. Make as many as you can!↪ Dev Note: Due to incremental release schedule this sanctum will only be attainable once all locations are available.

- Added (5) new Prowling-themed location sanctums (Prowling Classic), obtainable from fusion by collecting unique collectables from their respective areas.↪ Dev Note: Due to incremental release schedule some location sanctums will only be attainable once their respective locations are available.

- Added (4) new Prowling Classic Sanctums, obtainable as rewards from certain boss fights.↪ Dev Note: Due to incremental release schedule some location Prowling Sanctums will only be attainable once their respective locations are available.

- Added (5) new Prowling Power Sanctums, obtainable as rewards from certain boss fights.↪ Dev Note: Due to incremental release schedule some Power Sanctums will only be attainable once their respective locations are available.

| Town Page |[released 1/20/18]Tabs

- Tabs have been redesigned to include the icon relevant to the page you’re visiting.

Heal

- Page redesign. Visiting now brings you to the Physickers to be healed.

Bank

- Page redesign. Visiting now brings you to Hemoglobal for blood transactions.Rune

- Runesinger has been added as a new tab. Page designs meets the same standard as Heal and Bank pages.

| Community Support Desk |

Knowledge base

- [released 1/20/18] New Section added for Runesinger

- Updates for Prowling sections to account for Darkside changes

- [released 1/20/18] Clan requirements have been updated to 1001 in associated articles

Known IssuesKnown issues are items that are not game-breaking and will be fixed in a later update.

- There are likely numerous typos and grammatical errors. Due to the sheer amount of written content required to support the new scenarios, we were unable to comprehensively edit. We'll try to get them fixed as we can!

Non-IssuesNon-issues are items that seem like a bug, but are intended functionality.

- When exploring an Exploration Multiple with numerous choices all labeled exactly the same, it may appear that you're choosing the incorrect button. This is not so. Every button of this type leads to the same results. The amount of buttons present is merely a story aid, building the notion of numerous items to search.

- Occasionally when returning to a main (area) hub in an Exploration Multiple, the text may not perfectly correlate to your return. Sorry, we did our best!

- When in an Exploration Multiple and exploring a maze, you may find yourself moving back a previous step or two, only to go forward. This is an intentional mechanic. The mazes are all quite short, so keep your eyes peeled for a new graphic, story phrasing, and choices. This will alert you that you're going the right way.

- Not all Multiples and Exploration Multiples operate the same way. Some multiple scenarios may present voluminous choice options, where any choice carries you forward. Others are voluminous and will require you to choose a correct answer. These are intended mechanics to present a level of difficulty.↪ Dev Note: Generally the rule of thumb is if you're in a higher tension story section, you'll need the correct answer. If you're just in a casual section it doesn't matter.

- When fighting a boss and nearing the end of the fight, the page transfers to result without displaying the final hit. You didn't want yet another button, did you?